47 



April 10, 1838. 

 Rev. John Barlow in the Chair. 



ITie first communication laid before the meeting was a description 

 by Mr. Owen of the organs of deglutition in the Giraffe, being a 

 supplementary note to his former memoir on the anatomy of that 

 animal. 



Mr. Owen observes that since the Giraffes have been at the Gar- 

 dens, they have not been known to utter vocal sounds, except once, 

 at the time of coition, when the male uttered a cry like that of the 

 Deer ; and the incapacity of the species in this respect would seem 

 to be indicated by the structure of the glottis, the rinia of which 

 is permanently open for the space of a line, so that the chords 

 cannot be brought into mutual apposition. 



The modifications of the organs of deglutition accompanying this 

 open condition of the fissure leading into the windpipe are very re- 

 markable, and unlike any of the few deviations from the ordinary 

 structures of the fauces and glottis hitherto noticed by anatomists 

 in other animals (as in the Elephant, Camels, Cetacea and certain 

 Rodentia, &c.). 



On looking down the mouth into the fauces the cavity appears to 

 be as completely closed as in the Capibara ; but instead of narrowing 

 in an infundibular form to a small circular depression, it is termi- 

 nated by a transverse slit through which projects a soft, rounded, 

 valvular ridge, formed by the broad superior margin of the epiglottis, 

 which is folded down upon itself at that part. The surface of the 

 fauces is broken by large risings and depressions, or is coarsely 

 corrugated. 



On looking at the velum palati from behind, it is seen to descend 

 to the margins of the glottis in the interspace between the epiglottis 

 and the large arytenoid cartilages ; and on raising the soft palate, a 

 small process, or rudimental uvula, is seen, continued from the middle 

 of its inferior margin into the open laryngeal fissure ; but it only fits 

 into the posterior part of this open fissure ; the anterior part is 

 defended by two processes of the mucous membrane of the larynx 

 which are continued from the angle between the epiglottis and glot- 

 tis. These processes ai'e thick, of a triangular form, with their apices 

 turned backwards and inwards, so as to cover and close the anterior 

 part of the glottis : when the soft palate is raised to bring them 

 into view they seem like two accessoiy epiglot tides; but they consist 

 merely of a duplicature,of mucous membrane. 



At the posterior part of the soft palate there is an oval glandular 

 body about one inch in long diameter. 



The tonsils are well-developed glands communicating with the 

 fauces by a single wide opening, or fossa, and thus exhibiting a 



No. LXIV. — Proceedings of the Zoological Society, 



